The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-26

of the poisonous thread that neglect or
accident has woven around our physi-
cal powers. May his vision increase
until the discovery somehow shall be
made whereby health, as the rule of
life shall bloom on every cheek and
flash in every eye.
Againit may be that the pulpit charms
us, and we feel as though our feet were
drawn toward lions hill. If so, where
in the worlds vast round is there such
necessity Of clearness of view, as in
the ministry? AS ministers we are
called upon to preside over the interests
of the soul. The work is so fundamen-
tai and far-reaching is it any wonder
that we sometimes lose our way In
proportion to the magnitude of our re-
ligious interests is our liability to err,
for ministers are but men standing, it
may be, little higher than others
through their calling, but men all the
same for that, and subject to errors of
reason and Judgment like other mortals.
How very near perishing has the world
become at different periods of it's career,
because of the limited view of the
clergy. But for the vision of Luther,
Wesley, Murray and others where would
the principles of our religious freedom
be to-day? Slumbering in the night of
the dark ages, unconscious of the dawn,
but thanks be to God for those minds
who saw the flash of the truth through
the ages, as though the lightnings of
omnipotent wisdom and power, had
lighted up the path way of civilization,
and made clear and unmistakable the
course of our blessed humanity on
earth. Ministers need eyes to see in
all directions, they must be quick to
reason, and keen to feel. Is there a
truth in the voiceless tongue of nature,
we need to make her dumb lips express
what for ages she has refused to dis
close. We should touch as with mag
netic fire, her silent heart, and cause
her mighty breast to heaye, as she
moves in the cradle of the centuries.
Voicing the language of Almighty God,
we, his children, ask to be delivered
from sin and folly and every woe. Is
there lesson in history, the ministerial
gaze should be quick to discern it, no
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ruined temples or moss clad tombs, or
on granite shafts, or tattered manu-
scripts the lesson should be brought
down the winding path of the ages, and
breathed upon afresh, made to serve
again the cause of humanity. Is there
light on the sacred page, who should be-
hold it as it falls from heaven all aglow
with the breath of the upper morn
ing, like the minister of Christ? His
heart should leap with joy as he reads
between the lines, messages Of love and
hope for suffering world. "Where
there is no vision, the people perish. !"
Is this not true in ways language can
not express But for the vision of
Washington, Lincoln and the heroes of
our battles, where would our glorious
republic be to-day2 Alas who can
tell2 Our boysin blue, who went forth
to battle, and crossed swords with
Southern rebels-those who died, saw,
as their eyes glazed in death, the lights
of the eternal city glow along the heav-
emily shore, and as they passed up to
judgment, the gates Of the immortal
city rolled silently ajar, and the angels
gathered them in mid songs of triumph
DER a land reunited and a country
preserved. Those who lived, beheld
the hero of our victories, upon the
mountain top, gazing over land with
out slave, and as the poisoned fangs
of disease grasped him by the throat
and choked his life away, it could not
wiring from the heart of this nation, the
everlasting remembrance of the VIC
tories he won and the crown he wears.
These surviving veterans, with all true
patriots, vie in their acclaims of praise
to the hero who saw victory through the
dismal swamps of Chickamauga, and
over the smoky heights of Vicksburg,
and caught, as with CLEAN, picture
of the crest-fallen Lee and his tattered
army, beneath the whitening branches Of
Appomattox.
Endowed with the true vision, his
army could not fail nor his country per-
ish. The bright heritage of freedom
thus descends to all succeeding genera
tions In all the social and domestic
walks of life, perhaps there never was
time when greater perception was nee
essary than now. Many of our homes
are perishing for want of vision. The
domestic infelicities of life could be
largely overcome, if we saw more clear
ly the motives of heart and mind, and
the many peculiarities of disposition
seeking entrance to the marriage state.
What is wanted, is a more perfect
knowledge of character and adaptation
before marriage, and more consider
ate judgment afterward. The light
nings of many a household storm could
be drawn or conducted safely down the
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